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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Body 'is British Iraq hostage' | Body 'is British Iraq hostage' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he is "deeply saddened" that a body believed to be a British hostage has been passed to authorities in Iraq. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he is "deeply saddened" that a body believed to be a British hostage has been passed to authorities in Iraq. |
| The prime minister's spokesman said efforts were now under way to "urgently establish identity". | The prime minister's spokesman said efforts were now under way to "urgently establish identity". |
| Five British men were taken captive in Baghdad in July 2007. | Five British men were taken captive in Baghdad in July 2007. |
| The families of hostages Alan McMenemy and Alec MacLachlan, who worked as security guards in Iraq have previously been told they are "very likely" dead. | |
| The bodies of two men who were shot dead, fellow security guards Jason Swindlehurst and Jason Creswell, have already been released. | |
| In a statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he believed remaining hostage Peter Moore - an IT consultant - was still alive. | In a statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he believed remaining hostage Peter Moore - an IT consultant - was still alive. |
| 'Extremely difficult' | |
| However, Mr Miliband said it was not possible to "definitively confirm" either that the body was a hostage or to whom it belonged. | However, Mr Miliband said it was not possible to "definitively confirm" either that the body was a hostage or to whom it belonged. |
| But he added: "My thoughts and those of all of my colleagues in government are, of course, with the families of the British men kidnapped in Iraq. | But he added: "My thoughts and those of all of my colleagues in government are, of course, with the families of the British men kidnapped in Iraq. |
| "We are determined to keep this period of uncertainty for the families to a minimum." | "We are determined to keep this period of uncertainty for the families to a minimum." |
| Mr Miliband said he would make a further announcement "in due course" once the body had been formally identified and the families of all the hostages had been informed. | |
| Mr Brown's spokesman said: "The prime minister's thoughts are with their families at this extremely difficult time. | |
| "He will leave no stone unturned in the government's efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages." |